Matt’s early-career journey led him through multiple sectors including government and non-profit before joining The Walt Disney Company in 2010. There, he led executive communications for Disney Parks and Resorts for two years before transitioning to digital marketing where he played a pivotal role in developing Disney’s first-ever Social Media Command Center. There, he led social media monitoring, content production and consumer engagement strategies for the Disney’s Parks and Resorts. 

In 2014, Matt moved from the largest entertainment company in the world, to the largest restaurant company in the world, Yum! Brands, where he spent over a decade shaping earned media, brand communications and culture strategies. At Taco Bell, he led public relations and brand communications through some of the brand’s most culturally relevant campaigns. At KFC, he served as Head of Earned Media and Brand Social, helping to navigate the brand through its biggest comeback period in history. 

In 2022, Matt joined the faculty at Chapman University as an adjunct professor, where he taught influencer and social media marketing. In 2024, he developed an experimental curriculum for self-discovery called “Finding Your Path,” built to reframe personal branding in the modern age. This course became the foundation for the PATH model and the framework to answer the question: “Am I on the right path?” 

In addition, Matt now serves as Director of the Career Advancement Network in Chapman’s School of Communication, where he’s building comprehensive programming and curriculum to connect students with industry opportunities and mentorship.

In 2025, Matt founded The Path Project, combining his love for branding at the organizational and personal levels. Through strategic brand consulting, he continues to work with major brands on cultural relevance and creative social and communications strategies. He also continues to teach and grow the PATH community and resources dedicated to supporting individuals as they discover and decide where their path leads.  

Matt is co-author of Social Media Campaigns: Strategies for Public Relations and Marketing (3rd Edition, Routledge, 2025), a comprehensive textbook used in universities across the country. His expertise and leadership have earned him recognition on ADWEEK’s 31 Young Influentials, the OC Register’s 150 Most Influential People and 40 Under 40 honors from PRWeek and OC Metro Magazine. He has been nationally honored by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) for his leadership in education (David Ferguson Award – 2023), mentorship (Rick Miltenberger Award – 2022) and local leadership (Distinguished Service Award – 2019). A former PRSA Orange County Chapter President (2014), Matt spent over a decade advising California State University, Fullerton’s PRSSA chapter and was inducted into the PRSSA National Hall of Fame in 2024. He has been named National Advisor of the Year three times (2013, 2015 and 2025).